Black and Blue Ribbons
— Karen Del Vecchio

Do not fall out of a Kubota vehicle. You’re probably thinking, gee, that’s a pretty obvious statement. Yep, it sure is. And despite using four-wheel minitruck vehicles on farms for over a decade, I managed to take my first tumble off one recently. Despite only sliding a few…

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind. As a teacher, the end of winter always seems to drag, as cold, gray days and lots of sick kids make for a tough couple of months. I was pretty lucky this year, as I’d gotten only a mild cold back in…

My right shoulder has been causing me problems for more than 20 years, though I’ve made much progress. The original injury happened during a soccer game and has reverberated since then, often as either the cause or a participant in my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) pain flares. I remember…

When I woke up on a Saturday morning a few weeks ago, I suspected that I might’ve slept in an awkward position. I didn’t feel too bad, though, so I got up and started moving. I was hopeful that I just needed to stretch and loosen up. But I quickly…

The rising and falling temperatures we’ve been experiencing lately have been challenging for me. With Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), I already tend to have tight muscles that cause pain. It’s a constant battle, regardless of what month of the year it is or whether it’s hot or cold outside.

I’ve been fighting plantar fasciitis on and off for over a year. While I’ve tried to do some things to manage it, mostly I’ve just ignored it. That’s one of my frequent go-to, but not-so-great, coping mechanisms for physical pain. As a result, my foot pain worsened…

I’m a creature of habit. I like my routines, and while I’m perfectly capable of altering them when I need to, I prefer rhythm and predictability in my day-to-day life. I moved a couple months ago, and while I still live in the same community with the same people (and…

When painful Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) symptoms get me down, I like to imagine that my body’s sore spots have their own personalities. No, I’m not crazy; I don’t actually believe they have their own feelings. But it’s entertaining to pretend they do. I find that joking about it is…

For the first time in years, I didn’t go anywhere at all during my two weeks of winter break from my work as a teacher and college counselor. Usually I visit extended family, but a variety of factors meant that just didn’t happen this year. With a rare stretch of…

I’m pretty sure that my extreme stubbornness is one of the ways I persevere in managing my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, as well as part of the reason I have pain flares. Recently, my life has been crazy busy. I’ve moved and been trying to get all my teacher…

As a teacher, I couldn’t be more ready for winter break. And I’m not alone: Though we still have a few days before we’re done for a while, the students and staff can’t wait, either. I’m overtired, stressed out, and sore. And while I’m guessing many of my colleagues feel…

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been doing some necessary maintenance on the farm where I live: working outside on plant beds, fixing fences, replacing a broken light fixture, and more. These types of activities tend to make most people sore, regardless of whether or not they have…